Keeping children safe from e-threats

KINSA (Kid's Internet Safety Alliance) has partnered with Nelvana to create a 16-page cyber-safety comic featuring characters from YTV’s hit show, Grossology. This comic book has been made possible by the sponsorship of HSBC Bank Canada.Photo by
Canwest News Service

Today's children need to be web smart and street smart because there are just as many dangers waiting for them online as there are outside their door.

Teaching children and teens to protect their personal information and to be careful about what they share online and with whom is key to keeping them safe.

However, blanket statements, such as 'don't talk to strangers' won't work for children and teens who are immersed in an interactive world, whether through social networking sites such as Club Penguin and Facebook or involved in multiplayer online role-playing games such as World of Warcraft and EVE Online.

"The social web is all about sharing information and making friends online, '' said Cathy Wing, coexecutive director of the Media Awareness Network (www.media-awareness.ca), a pioneering Canadian non-profit organization that promotes media and Internet awareness.

"It's important for adults to know what kinds of socialization is happening. Kids don't understand the power of a permanent record, something that can be seen by so many people in such a public way.''

About 94 per cent of young Canadians access the Internet from home and children as young as Grade 4 are exploring social roles, connecting to friends and developing social networks online according to a 2005 Media Awareness Network study, Young Canadians in a Wired World.

Wing recommends parents talk to their children about web use, including establishing specific rules about Internet use and teaching children critical thinking about the information they view and exchange online.

"Rules make a big difference in kids' behaviour even up to grade 11,'' said Wing, who said the network has paired up with Telus to offer web awareness seminars to its employees.

"We asked kids to articulate a positive online experience and the statement 'my parents would approve of this site' rated quite high.''

In fact, despite the proliferation of child-safety applications and tools available through Internet providers, software programs and computer makers, advocates for safe surfing agree that the best way for parents and guardians to keep kids safe is to know what they're doing online.

"There can be a real downside to those tools because your child will just go next door or down to the library to get on sites,'' said Wing.

The Media Awareness Network offers parents guidelines on raising media and Internet savvy kids through its Web Aware program (www.bewebaware.ca).

It's not alone.

The Kids' Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA), a Canadian volunteer-run advocacy group, has partnered with Canadian children's entertainment company Nelvana to launch Web of Deception, a cyber-safety comic book featuring the characters from the YTV show Grossology.

It was funded by HSBC Bank Canada, which provided $70,000, half of which was raised through local branch fundraisers, many in Western Canada.

KINSA is particularly concerned with preventing the online exploitation of children and a significant portion of its efforts involves lobbying governments for stronger legislation and to raise awareness of safety issues with kids, parents, teachers, business people and legislators.

"The Internet is huge. Police can't do it alone, an educator can't teach them everything and a parent can't watch the content all the time but if we all get together we can get something done,'' said KINSA vice-chair Michael Ras.

The KINSA website (www.kinsa.net), which contains news, tips and links to other surf smart resources, is multilingual, with information available in 11 languages to reach an international audience and immigrant communities in Canada.

"We need to reach vulnerable kids such as latch key kids and kids of recent immigrants,'' said Ras.

"Kids could very well be using the computer and being lured in right under mom's and dad's noses and they wouldn't know because they don't understand English as well as their kids.''

Some parents are doing more than just talking to their kids; they're selecting content.

Leading the way is a Vancouver, B.C. site, www.totlol.com, a G-rated video sharing site that includes over a 1,000 video clips of dancing Gummi bears, singing hippos and kids shows such as the Wiggles and Sesame Street.

Launched in May 2008, the site uses videos already available on YouTube, Totlol enables parents to scout out age appropriate video, submit it to the site where member parents decide whether its appropriate for their child.

The site is aimed at children aged 13 and younger.

For other children-friendly sites visit the Be Web Aware site.

Online Safety Rules from the Media Awareness Network:

* I will not give out any personal information online without my parents' permission. This includes my name, phone number, address, e-mail, location of my school, my parents' work address/ telephone numbers and credit card numbers, and my picture. This goes for anywhere on the Internet, including e-mail, chat rooms, newsgroups - even websites that promise me free stuff or prizes, or on Web pages that I make myself.

* When using the Internet, I will always use a pretend name or nickname that doesn't reveal whether I'm a boy or a girl.

* When creating a password, I will make one up that is hard to guess, but easy for me to remember. To avoid having it stolen, I will never reveal it to anyone (except my parents) - not even my best friend.

* I will not respond to any message that makes me uncomfortable. I will show an adult right away.

*I will arrange to meet a friend I have made on the Internet ONLY if one of my parents has been informed and will be present.

*I will not send an insulting or rude message to anyone online. This is called "flaming" and it is not good Netiquette.

*I will not disable any filtering software my parents have put on the computer.

* I will not open e-mail, files, links, pictures or games from people that I don't know or trust. I will always ask an adult first.

* I will not take words, pictures or sounds from someone else's website without their permission.

* I will not believe everything I read on the Internet. I will always check the source of the information and confirm it with my teacher, parent or librarian.

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